Duo uses fake $100 bills at strip club

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Police arrested a man and woman for trying to pass fake $100 bills at a strip club in Southeast Austin.

Police said a bartender at The Landing Strip Gentlemen’s club on Bastrop Highway noticed the duo had at least two fake bills between the two of them, and they arrested Johnny Nocho Rodgers, 47, and Tammy Lynn Owens, 40.

The bartender first noticed the fake bills after Rodgers tried to break one of the bills for smaller ones.

According to court documents made public Wednesday, Rodgers gave a waitress a $100 bill. When that waitress brought the bill to the bartender, he checked it with a counterfeit detection pen and noticed it was fake.

Police were called to the strip club, and they detained both Rodgers and Owens. Investigators are working to determine exactly how many of the seven $100 bills that were found on the pair are actually fake.

A background check shows Rodgers has been convicted of forgery of financial instruments in the past. He has also had prior convictions of engaging in organized crime, larceny, assault and DWI.

No prior criminal history was found on Owens.

They are charged with forgery and counterfeiting, which is a third-degree felony. If convicted, they each could face two- to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.